Of Hullabaloo Galore and Wacky Festives
by Tilted Star
Summary: OneShot. Sakura wants to win the upcoming costume contest, to impress everyone, especially Syaoran. Unfortunately, Meiling goes all out to stop Sakura from winning. What chaos will ensue? [SakuraxSyaoran]


A/N: Ahh, finally a story from us! This is our second fanficcy, it's our first shot at humor too, hope you guys will find it funny, I think we took ages to write this!

Disclaimer: CCS and all its wonderful characters belong to CLAMP. The plot and all original characters (if any), belongs to us.

**"Of Hullabaloo Galore and Wacky Festives"**

Beauty and the Box

By: _Tilted Star_

_Summary: One-Shot. Sakura wants to win the upcoming costume contest, to impress everyone, especially Syaoran. Unfortunately, Meiling goes all out to stop Sakura from winning. What chaos will ensue? SakuraxSyaoran_

* * *

Propping her elbows on the desk, Sakura blew at a stray strand of hair in front of her face, looking out of the window at the vast azure sky. The leaves of the trees swayed gently in the wind as the birds poised on its branches chirped blissfully, making the environment so peaceful and amiable that lured Sakura out of reality. Sakura's eyelids grew heavy and fluttered, and she was so close to entering her dream world when… … 

"… … The annual Costume Party next week. Please prepa… …" Sakura did not wait for Terada-sensei to finish his sentence. The _Costume Party_! That's her favourite event of the year! "… … Remember, you can only dress as a _fairytale_ character!" _Yeah yeah I know, just the old rules… _Sakura's eyes sparkled with excitement, as she recalled what happened during that enthralling event last year.

_Flashback_

"_And the Costume Queen for this year is… … Kinomoto Sakura, dressed as the stunning and gorgeous Snow White!" The whole school broke out in applause for the new Costume Queen, as Sakura walked proudly up the stage and bowed, grinning from ear to ear. She did a catwalk across the stage before joining the Costume King, Syaoran, at one end of the stage._

"_Presenting our new Costume King and Queen!" Both Sakura and Syaoran bowed, which earned another round of applause from the school. Keeping the cheeky grin on her face, Sakura turned and faced Syaoran… …_

……_When the ceiling above her started to swirl dangerously and she saw nothing but stars above her head. Mumbling incoherently under her breath in her semi-conscious state, Sakura slowly succumbed to the darkness… …_

_End Flashback_

Sakura frowned. Well okay, the Costume Party was fun except for the part when she fainted after she saw how hot Syaoran was. There was nothing on her mind except for the words "_HAWT! HAWT! HAWT!_" She wanted to thank Tomoyo initially after the Costume Party, not for the wonderful costume she made, but for changing the Costume Queen winner on the list. Sakura cackled evilly as she recalled how she managed to get the title 'Costume Queen'. The host, Yamazaki, had eyes so small that Sakura doubted he could have seen anything more than five feet away. So, Sakura took advantage of that fact.

Nah. This year was going to be different. Sakura shall be the Costume Queen once again, without making a fool of herself. _And_ she's going to win _fair and square_. She no longer wanted to be a 'cheater bug'.

A ring of the school bell signaled the end of the lesson. Sakura hastily packed her books and prepared to rush home, wanting to devise a perfect plan to win the costume competition this year. She smirked at the thought of walking across the stage again, drowning in envious gazes from many other students. Tough luck for them, as long as Sakura remained in the school, no one else would ever get the title of 'Costume Queen'. Most importantly, she could win Syaoran's heart.

"OW! Watch where you're going, you klutz!" Meiling bellowed. Apparently, Sakura was so deep in her thoughts that she took no notice of the approaching Meiling.

"Oh, sorry." Sakura mumbled.

Meiling frowned. "Well when you say sorry, you have to _mean_ it. I bet you're cursing and swearing at me under that 'sorry', you stupid klutz. Humph. So let me tell you, don't be too cocky, _Snow White_, for _I_ will be the Costume Queen this year! Mwahahahaha! I think I definitely deserved the place last year, as I, for one, will _never_ _faint_ _on the stage_, unlike you!" and then in a much smaller voice, she added, "I know Syaoran is hot, but don't you think he's too hot for you? You might burn yourself!"

Sakura turned as red as a tomato, but she managed to compose herself. Snickering, Sakura retorted, "What makes you think you are capable of getting the title? With your stupid, old fairy _godmother_ costume? Please! You will never be Cinderella!" With that, Sakura stormed off.

"Wait and see… you just wait and see… I'll make sure that you _won't_ get the title this year, if that's the last thing I do!" Meiling muttered, as her eyes bore holes into Sakura's retreating back.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura rolled around on her bed. It appeared that she was having a trouble devising a perfect plan to win the Costume Queen title. _Urgh! Why do I have to be so sure of myself? I haven't even come up with a single thing! I'll be the laughing stock of Meiling and her sidekicks if I lost…Moreover, I really want to have a chance with Syaoran!_

Tearing at her hair in frustration, Sakura grunted and tried to sit up, but fell from the bed instead. "Oww… …"

"Oi! Couldn't you have chose another spot to fall?" said a muffled voice under Sakura. Huh? Under her!

"Eep! Sorry Kero-chan, it was unintentional…" Sakura apologized. She sighed, and said, "How can I win the costume contest this year? Hmm, should I sabotage other contestants' costume, or should I… …"

"Well if you do want to win that badly," Kero cut in, as Sakura leaned in eagerly, thinking that Kero had devised the perfect plan for her to win the competition. "All you have to do is get a ravishing costume, stand out from the rest, and you _will_ get the Costume Queen title!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Well that's what _you_ think. It's not so easy to win through the conventional method!"

"It is," Kero chimed, "That is, if you can get Tomoyo's help."

Sakura broke into a wide grin, patting Kero on the head. "Why didn't I think of it before? You're such a genius, bud!" With that, she reached for the phone sitting innocently on her desk, and phoned Tomoyo.

**_At Tomoyo's… …_**

"Ooh Sakura-chaaan! I'm so glad you came to me!" Tomoyo said with a glint in her eye. "I'm going to make you into an angelic, beauteous, bewitching, dazzling, enticing, exquisite, elegant… …"

"Okay okay, I get the point." Sakura said, putting her hands up. "So what am I going to be?"

"_Little Red Riding Hood!_" Tomoyo squealed.

"Huh? I don't see how I can win if I dress like a little girl." Sakura frowned, and added, "Besides, how can the hooded pipsqueak be _elegant_?"

Tomoyo huffed. "Well, I'm not going to help you if you don't trust my profession. Remember how wonderful all my costumes look? You're never going to win without my help!"

"Okay! I surrender!" Sakura said, holding up a white flag. "I need your help. _Badly._"

"That wasn't what you said earlier on!" Tomoyo retorted.

"I'm sorry! I need your help! I know you're forgiving and compassionate, and you're my best buddy ever! Please? Puh-lease?" Sakura pleaded, jutting out her lower lip in a pout.

"All right, I'm only doing this for you," Tomoyo pointed a finger at Sakura's nose.

"Me?" Sakura said meekly.

"Yes you. Because, you are my best buddy!" Tomoyo finished, and beamed at Sakura, looking pleased. "Now, come in so that I can take your measurements!"

Sakura did as she was told, and stood poker straight while Tomoyo took her measurements. They spent the first half of the afternoon designing, and mostly arguing about the amount of glitter and sequins on the costume.

"But Sakura! You'll look so much more dazzling and perfect if you added just a TINY bit of sequins to that corner!" Tomoyo pleaded, gesturing to the pile of glittering bits that came up to her mid calf.

"Absolutely not! I'm to be an innocent little girl, not a disco ball!" Sakura retorted. "I said it shall be blood red and it shall stay that way!"

But she melted and relented when Tomoyo gazed at her with pleading eyes. "…Oh all right, I'll allow you some lace at the edge of the hood. But only the edge!" She added hastily as she saw the sparkle in Tomoyo's eyes coming back to life.

After a tumultuous three hours of designing, they finally came to an agreement on the costume before them.

Then came the fitting.

"OOOWWWWW!" howled Sakura, as people living in a ten-mile radius covered their ears yet again.

"Tomoyo-chaaaaaaaan!" Sakura screeched, stretching the last syllable for as long as she could. "That's the millionth time you've poked that needle into me!"

"Don't exaggerate," Tomoyo mumbled as well as she could with needles held between her lips. "It was only the thirteenth time I did so."

"Well would you like to be poked THIRTEEN TIMES with a needle, huh?"

"You wouldn't have to suffer if you haven't fidgeted so much!"

"Oh… But the fabric is ticklish!"

"Sigh… Sakura-chan, if you aren't going to cooperate, we won't be able to finish the costume, you know. And wouldn't you want an amazingly dazzling costume to wow the judges and SYAORAN with? Hmm?" Tomoyo questioned tauntingly, wiggling her eyebrows to emphasise her point. That, unfortunately, went unnoticed by Sakura, who fell into a daze the second she heard the word Syaoran. _Ah, that Wondrous Name!_

Tomoyo then happily proceeded to nip and tuck and trim and whatever them designers did to costumes, occasionally adding more lace and sequins and glitter on the costume whenever she felt sure Sakura wouldn't notice, giving her a few jabs with the needle for good measure. It gave her an evil amusement to test how absorbed Sakura was in her daydream of Syaoran, and Sakura did really look cute with that glassy look in her eyes.

At long last, the costume was completed! Tomoyo looked satisfactorily at her masterpiece, checking to make sure there was enough sparkly and frilly trimming on the costume before she proceeded to wake Sakura up.

"Whaa-? Oh, is the hood completed?" Sakura asked distractedly, still hypnotized by the fading image of Syaoran before her.

"Oh Tomoyo-chan, it looks beautiful! I'm sure I'll win the contest, and all thanks to you!" Sakura gushed, while modeling the costume in front of the full-length mirror before her. Tomoyo stood admiringly behind her, giggling dizzily as she gazed adoringly at the mass of twinkling extravagance at the back of the hood.

"Oh Tomoyo-chan Tomoyo-chan! What are you going to wear for the Costume Party?"

A little taken aback by the question, Tomoyo hesitated, as she had planned to surprise everyone with her choice of costume on the day of the party. "Well… It's meant to be a surprise, but since you asked, I shall show it to you and you only!" Tomoyo said, as she took out a shimmery blue-green fabric out of her chest of drawers.

"I'll be attending as the sexy Arabian princess, Jasmine from Aladdin!" she declared, turning around with a swish to reveal her apparel.

A wave of delicious anticipation washing over her, Sakura took her buddy's hands in hers with a sudden impulse and the both of them pranced and danced in Tomoyo's room, both eagerly awaiting the Party before them.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Now, let's take a look at what Meiling's doing for the upcoming Costume Party.

"Mwahahahaha!" Meiling cackled. "_Please! You will never be Cinderella!_" She imitated, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I _will_ be Cinderella, mark my words, cherry blossom, and I will be the most beaut-OOF!"

Meiling fell to the ground with a thud, wincing as she reached up to gently touch the sore spot on her head. She stood up and glared at the offending lamppost, which towered over her, making her look like a humble dwarf next to it.

"Stupid lamppost!" Meiling yelled, giving the lamppost her infamous kungfu kick. Not only was the annihilation of the 'evil' lamppost a failed attempt, it even hurt her foot as a result, earning a painful howl from Meiling. "URGH!"

With that scream, many passer-bys cast her confused looks, some even pinpointing and whispering among themselves. _"Look at that eccentric girl! Talking to herself, bumping into the lamppost and then scolding and attacking it!" "Yea I saw that too, I wonder if she has a mental problem…"_

Unfortunately, that did not go unheard by Meiling. Shooting a furious glance at the offenders, she roared, "I AM SANE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" She clenched her hand into a tight fist and glared at any person who had the guts to look in her direction. If looks could kill, Meiling would make it to the headlines the following morning. Imagine sitting in an armchair slowly sipping a fragrant cup of coffee like any other day, when the dog comes in with the newspaper. Your eyes bulge out and you spit out your coffee, when you spot the headlines screaming "GIRL RUNS AMOK AND KILLS THOUSANDS WITH DEADLY GLARE". Wow, how peculiar that would be… …

Anyways, back to the story. Now that Meiling had decided to dress as Cinderella for the Costume Party, all she had to do now was to find a costume. _That will be a piece of cake_, Meiling thought, and strutted to the tailors' to have her costume made.

**_After a few hours or so… …_**

Meiling pranced around her bedroom, admiring herself in the mirror as she did so. Her choice of costume was a pink frilly dress, with laces almost everywhere. The sleeves were big and puffy, from which were hung numerous minuscule pink stars. She wore pink high-heeled stilettos, and hanging from her neck was a diamond necklace. Lastly, a pink, furry crown sat innocently on her head.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Meiling said, "Ahh! I cannot believe this stunningly beautiful lady is me! I will be the center of attention on the night of the party! Ohohohohoho… …"

"MIRROR MIRROR ON THE FLOOR!" Meiling said suddenly to the mirror lying on the floor, batting her eyelashes, "Am I pretty?"

… … … … …

"ANSWER ME YOU STUPID MIRROR!" Meiling screeched, turning red from fury. Still, there was no response. The agitated Meiling started throwing tantrums, as well as things in the room.

CRASH! Oh well, there goes the antique vase… Startled by the sudden noise, Wei, the butler, poked his head into the room.

"Meiling-san! Calm down… Who made you angry?" Wei asked.

Meiling pointed a trembling accusing finger at the culprit and folded her arms, pouting.

Wei was astounded. What did the mirror do? And in the first place, _can_ the mirror do anything?

Meiling replied, as though she could read Wei's thoughts, "This STUPID mirror! It ignored me when I asked whether I was pretty or not!" Then she started bawling, "WHICH MEANS I'M NOT PRETTY!"

Wei tried to stifle the laugh that was threatening to spill out of his mouth. With Meiling's pink, frilly… everything, all she needed was a red nose and some makeup and she would look a perfect clown.

"No, miss." Wei replied. "You look gorgeous."

Meiling's tears dried up as fast as they have appeared, and was replaced by a delightful look on her face. She whooped with joy and ecstasy, twirling around in her pink, frilly dress. "Wait till everyone sees me in this, they'll be green with envy!"

And Wei looked on thoughtfully, stroking his moustache doubtfully as he did so.

_**The next day in school… …**_

Meiling tossed her hair behind her shoulders as she flounced into the classroom. There was a confident smirk on her face, as she held her head high up and felt every pair of eyes in the classroom following her. _They must be gawking at my beauty! This will show the snobbish Sakura who's the boss!_

"The last time I checked, the school hasn't changed its uniform."

Meiling spun around, coming face to face with Sakura, who raised an eyebrow at her. _Oh shit! I forgot that the Costume Party is tomorrow, not today!_ She stuttered, "I – err – ah we-ell, I – I wanted to sh – show you guys my wonderful costume!"

"Oh? So what have you decided to be this time?" Sakura asked.

"Cinderella." Meiling replied smugly.

Sakura doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach. "In that case, I think that Cinderella should change her name to _Clownderella_! HAHAHAHA!" The whole class burst into laughter.

Before Meiling could say anything to defend herself, a voice rang from the doorway. "Meiling! Why aren't you in your school uniform!" Meiling froze. "And why are you dressed like a clown!"

Slowly, like some kind of horror movie, Meiling turned around. _Shit, shit shit!_ It was the principal. _SHIT! This is such a bad day for me!_ Meiling moaned inwardly.

"Follow me to the office!" the principal barked. Shaking her head, Meiling shuffled out of the classroom. _Dumb Sakura, I'll make you sorry for this… …_

-------------------------------------------------------------

**_After school… …_**

"I can't believe it! Tomorrow is the Costume Party already!" Syaoran moaned, burying his face in his hands. "And I don't know what to wear!"

Eriol rolled his eyes. "Just wear any prince costume, and presto! You're done."

Shaking his head, Syaoran replied, "No, that would be too common. I want to wear a special costume, be a unique character, and I want to stand out from the rest. Something fresh and new… I want to win this again!"

"I don't remember you caring that much about winning last year." Eriol stated, looking surprised.

"Nah, I still don't care much about the stupid costume contest. It's that chick, Sakura." Syaoran replied.

Eriol raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What about her?"

Grinning, Syaoran said, "She won the Costume Queen title last year, remember? I had a good look at her when she fainted, and boy, she was hot!" He rubbed his chin, seemingly in deep thought, and continued, "Too bad she fainted, or I would have asked her out that night… … But never mind, tomorrow night's my chance, I have to win the competition, get her fawning over me and THEN I'll ask her out!" Syaoran finished, looking triumphant. "Since I'm such a kind-hearted guy, I'll probably fork out money and help her find a doctor to treat her fainting illness when we start dating."

"Hey! I know what you can be." Eriol said excitedly, "Have you heard of 'Beauty and the Beast?' You could be Belle!"

Syaoran looked at Eriol incredulously, as though Eriol had grown a pockmark on his face. "Are you crazy? I'm a GUY, and I'm straight. I'm not gay, and certainly not a transvestite!"

"It's called cross-dressing you nitwit, I didn't ask you to go for a sex change." Eriol replied, and seeing the doubtful look on his face, he added, "Come on, it'll be fun! You said you wanted something fresh and new, right? Most importantly, you'll be in the centre of attention."

"I guess…" Syaoran agreed hesitantly, "You do have a point though…"

_**Later… …**_

Syaoran sat in front of the mirror, feeling aggravated as Eriol tried to fix the brown wig on Syaoran's head.

"Can't I go without the wig? It's making my scalp itchy." Syaoran said, reaching a hand to scratch his head. Unfortunately, the wig fell off when he did that.

"Can you stop doing that?" Eriol groaned, feeling irritated, as the wig dropped for the umpteenth time.

"I can jolly well go without the wig!" Syaoran retorted.

"Then you will look like a ridiculous sissy-boy." Eriol said, rolling his eyes. "Now sit so I can get this over and done with."

**_After a long, long time… …_**

"Finally! I'm done, Syaoran!" Eriol cheered, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "… Syaoran…?"

A snore answered him. Apparently, Syaoran had fallen asleep when Eriol was fixing the wig, which took four… or was it five hours? He lost count. Eriol placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder and shook him, awakening him from his sweet, or maybe dirty, dream.

"ARGH what was that for! I was about to kiss Sakura when you pulled me out of my wonderful drea-WOAH!" Syaoran exclaimed, pointing at his own reflection in the mirror. "When did this hot chick appear? Is she your girlfriend?"

The girl was dressed in a dark yellow dress, with its edges covered with light yellow laces. A yellow scarf was wrapped securely around her neck. She had long, beautiful cinnamon hair that was tied together in a half bun; the rest of the hair was left flowing down her shoulders to end at her mid back, while stray strands of untied hair were left to frame her face.

Syaoran waved. The girl waved back. Syaoran grinned. The girl grinned at him.

"Hah, we did the same actions, at the same time! You can't deny that we have chemistry! Aren't you jealous that your girl is so compatible with me? Maybe I could use her to make Sakura jealous!"

Eriol hit Syaoran's head with a book. "OWW what was that for?"

"Are you nuts? That's YOU, your own reflection, dumbass!"

Syaoran's jaw dropped. "M-M-Me?"

"Yes, you dummy." Eriol said. _He's hopeless…_"Now pick up your jaw before you go, I don't want it to litter my house."

-------------------------------------------------------------

**_The next day…_**

"Class! I know that all of you are excited about the Costume Party which will be taking place later in the evening, but for now, please pay attention in class!" Terada-sensei shouted in an attempt to get their attention back on the lesson, breaking the murmurs and whispers across the classroom.

It seemed to take a century for the bell to ring. When it finally did, students started gathering around to discuss the upcoming event.

"Hey, Sakura!" Meiling smiled sweetly at her, "What are you wearing for the Costume Party?"

"Why should I tell _you_?" Sakura snapped, but continued with a sweet voice, "So, you're wearing the _Clownderella_ costume tonight?" With that, Sakura stalked off.

Meiling narrowed her eyes. _Well well, the peacock is flaunting its feathers. She probably wants to discourage me from wearing that gorgeous costume, as she knows I will steal her spotlight! All the more I should wear it! Hahahaha!_

**_Meanwhile… …_**

Sakura was admiring her costume in the girls' toilet, holding it in front of her as she swished from side to side. She knew she could trust Tomoyo to come up with a beautiful costume. A grin crept to her face, as she pictured herself wearing the costume, winning the Costume Queen title, and walking across the stage… …

The sound of the door opening snapped Sakura back to reality. It was Eirlys, one of Meiling's sidekicks.

"Syaoran's looking for you in the classroom." Eirlys stated.

Sakura's face lit up. _Syaoran? Ahh… …_Looking at the costume in her hands, she thought, _maybe I can change later, Syaoran is more important… …_Mumbling a 'thanks' to Eirlys, Sakura rushed off to the classroom.

"Ohohohoho!" Meiling strutted into the toilet, giving Eirlys a pat on the back. "Thank you very much! Now I can sabotage Sakura's costume!"

Armed with two bottle of ketchup, Meiling proceeded to dump its contents onto Sakura's costume, all the while cackling evilly.

"Err, Meiling?" Eirlys started, but was interrupted by Meiling.

"Go away, Eirlys, your work is done, it's my turn to be in action!" Meiling snapped.

Eirlys sighed. _I don't see what she is going to gain from doing all these…_ "I'm trying to say that, her costume is _red_." Eirlys said, pointing at Sakura's costume. Then, she sauntered out of the toilet.

"Wha-" Meiling stared at the costume in her hands. _Of course! How can I be so stupid? I can't possibly stain a red costume with red ketchup… …Now what?_

_Thud. Thud. Thud. _Footsteps echoed in the hallway, signaling an arriving person._ Oh no, that must be Sakura!_ Meiling panicked, running into one of the cubicles and slamming the door shut. She dumped the costume into the toilet bowl and attempted to flush it down, but stopped short and held her breath when she heard someone enter the toilet.

"Stupid Syaoran, fancy making me go back to the classroom for nothing…" Sakura mumbled. "No wait, Syaoran is an angel, he won't do such a thing… Must be that Eirlys! Lying through her teeth, humph… …AHHH!"

Sakura shrieked when she found out that her costume was missing. Following that, she burst into tears, which came in torrents flowing freely from her eyes.

Meiling silently gloated over her success. _That will teach you, you proud peacock…_However, that wasn't enough. She wanted to make Sakura even more miserable.

Stepping out of the cubicle, Meiling cleared her throat to attract Sakura's attention. Sakura turned around to face Meiling, her eyes red and puffy. Meiling shook her head and went forward, patting Sakura on the back.

"Sakura… What happened?" Meiling put on a fake smile and asked in a concerned tone.

"I-I lost my costume…" Sakura sniffed, as tears started to well up again. "Now I can't go the Costume Party…"

Meiling rubbed her back, and said in a soothing voice, "Well… I'm sure we'll think of something else… Hey! I've got an idea!" Meiling rushed off to a corner and dragged some boxes over. "I'll make a costume for you with these!"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Sakura asked. "I was so mean to you…"

"Well, it's better to be friends than enemies, right? Let's bury the hatchet, okay?"

Sakura nodded. "I'm sorry… for everything I said to you… I feel so ashamed of myself…"

**_Moments later……_**

"It's done!" Meiling exclaimed, gesturing to the rather hideous costume she made. "Now try it on, Sakura!"

"Err, no offense, but the costume looks rather… ridiculous…" Sakura said, casting a glance at the costume.

"Aw, but it's something special, it will probably put you in the centre of attention!" Meiling replied, "Besides, if you don't turn up for the party, you'll miss out on all the fun!"

Sakura thought over Meiling's words, and found that what she said made sense. Moreover, she didn't want to miss seeing Syaoran's handsome face.

"Oh well, I guess I have no choice…" Sakura sighed, "But what kind of fairytale character can I be with this costume?"

"Eh heh…Well…" Meiling stuttered, "You can be the box princess in 'The Box Princess'!"

Sakura frowned. "Are you sure there's such a fairytale?"

"Of course!" Meiling replied enthusiastically, "My grandmother used to tell me this story when I was little."

"Thanks, Meiling." Sakura said, as Meiling helped her into the costume. "I owe you one…"

-------------------------------------------------------------

"_Pupils, please gather in the auditorium in five minutes for the Costume Party!"_ The principal's voice blared over the PA system. Upon hearing the message, students flooded to the auditorium with anticipation.

Sakura bit her lip as she walked nervously into the auditorium. She made her way towards Tomoyo, who was waving her arms wildly, vaguely aware of the many pairs of eyes staring at her. _I must look ridiculous…_ Seeing that many people were casting her weird looks, Sakura wanted very much to dig a hole and hide in it, never to resurface again.

Tomoyo was horrified when she saw what Sakura was wearing. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE COSTUME!" Tomoyo shrieked.

_"Oi, lower your voice!"_

"Sorry…" Tomoyo muttered, and in a fiercer tone, she said, "And you! Sakura! Why are you wearing this… _thing_, instead of the costume I made?"

"Long story…" Sakura sighed.

**_After listening to Sakura's story……_**

"… And so, I have to make do with this box thing." Sakura finished.

"You mean, all my hard work… down the drain?" Tomoyo moaned, shaking her head dejectedly.

"I didn't mean it… Sorry, Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura apologised profusely.

"NOW PEOPLE, PAY ATTENTION, THE JUDGES HAVE DECIDED!" the host, Yamazaki bellowed into the microphone.

"_That's so loud!"_

"_My ears hurt! I think I've gone deaf!"_

_"Lower your voice, you –beep-!"_

"Sorry peeps, my bad. As I was saying, the judges have decided on the winners for this year's costume competition." Yamazaki said, "And now, it is the time to announce the winners!"

"Firstly, the Costume King for this year is…" _drum roll…_

"LI SYAORAN!"

Syaoran strutted up to the stage, grinning broadly. _I have to thank Eriol after this…_

Or not.

A ripple of sniggers went through the crowd below, which then burst into an upsurge of howls and laughter when those who had mistaken the silhouette walking up the stage for a girl recognised Syaoran for the guy he was as he walked into the circle of light in the centre of the stage.

"_You mean…"_

"_That can't be!"_

"_Are you for real!"_

"_Is that…?"_

"_OH MY GOD, IT'S LI SYAORAN!"_

The Cheshire grin that was on Syaoran's face slid off his face as fast as melted butter on a windowpane. His face was now crimson red, and he wanted nothing more right then than to run off stage and throw himself off the building.

_Damn that Eriol, wait till I get my hands on him! Grr…_

"…Therefore, the judges have made the decision based the distinct impression cross dresser Li Syaoran had made, as he really fit the outfit, but more importantly, the fact that no one would have ever thought of or have the guts to wear this. Let's give this courageous King a round of applause!" Yamazaki ended, as he urged the audience to their feet for a standing ovation.

"And now, the Costume Queen! The judges have stated that the Queen chosen has a most special and unique costume ever seen! So who shall it be this year? Will it be another year of reign for Kinomoto Sakura, or would she give up her throne for another exquisitely ravishing Queen?"

_Me, me, me! _Screamed Meiling ferociously in her head, letting out a hiss as she did so. She did not notice the wide berth fellow fairytale characters gave her, nor the strange looks aimed in her direction by people who only saw a pink ball of glittering lace. All her attention was fixed on the host, willing him with all her mind power to call out her name.

No such luck.

"The Costume Queen is our beautiful Kinomoto Sakura! Dressed as… A box! Why, how curious, would you like to te-"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" _That wasn't supposed to happen!_

"Well, umm," stammered Yamazaki as he turned away from the sight of a howling Meiling, who was being dragged off by a couple of burly security guards. "As I was saying, would you like to tell us what character are you role playing as?"

"The Box Princess."

"… …I've never heard of such a fairytale character."

"Ahh-" started Sakura, turning jumpy as her eyes darted here and there as she tried to think of an excuse, the awkward silence in the auditorium becoming ever more audible as everyone waited for her answer.

As for Syaoran, his flaming red face paled into a pallid yellow which remarkably matched his yellow dress when he heard Sakura's name being announced, and even more so when he saw her costume. _That's… The girl of my dreams?_

_Oh crap, _thought Sakura anxiously. _I've gotta make something up – no way am I going to lose this title nor my face after all the pains I took!_

"Umm, uhh, you see…This, here, the Box Princess… It's a fairytale that has been passed down for generations by my family," said Sakura, making things up as she went on with her explanation. "It's about a little princess who loved hiding in boxes whenever she played hide and seek. One day she was playing hide and seek when she discovered an engraved trunk, which she could just fit in. So she hid in it and closed the lid. But it turned out that the box was to store a treasure that was to be given to a prince of the powerful neighbouring country as a tribute. The movers, seeing the closed trunk, thought that the treasure was in it and whisked it away to the other country. When the box was presented to the prince, the princess, who had been sleeping in it, woke up and jumped out of the box. The sight amused the young prince and he laughed so hard. The king of the country saw this and was delighted, as the prince had never laughed before. Many countries had sent tributes in hope of making the prince laugh and by doing so earn the king's favour, but not one had succeeded. However, the princess had managed to do so, and the king was so happy that he decided to strike up a betrothal between the princess and prince. When they grew up, they got married and they lived," Sakura paused to take a deep breath, "happily ever after."

Sakura held her breath and closed her eyes, awaiting the mocking tones that would jeer her off stage. However, what greeted her ears were not sounds of ridicule but a deafening applause peppered with wolf whistles.

She opened her eyes. Different fairytale characters of all sorts of colours and shapes were clapping vigorously offstage, and it was all meant for her! She didn't make a fool out of herself after all!

"Presenting the Costume King and Queen, BEAUTY AND THE BOX!" Yamazaki hollered. The applause grew even louder as they cheered for Syaoran as well.

Sakura lifted a hand and wiped the sweat off her forehead. _Whew! That's one ordeal I survived! _Her smile grew wider as she observed her fellow students gradually stop clapping to mingle with their friends. In the whirl of colours, Sakura spotted Tomoyo and Eriol, dressed as Aladdin, flirting at a corner of the auditorium, causing a cheeky smile to appear on Sakura's face. _Wow, they are rather compatible…_

A tap on her shoulder broke Sakura's train of thoughts. Sakura turned around, coming face to face with none other than the handsome Syaoran, the guy of the dreams. She nearly melted under his intense gaze, as her mind screamed, _No, NO! I cannot faint! Sakura! Don't faint!_

"Uh…" Syaoran stuttered, "M-May I have the pleasure of walking you home?"

_Hoe…! He's offering to walk me home? Aw… that's so sweet of him…_Sakura nodded mutely, feeling that her voice might turn out funny if she spoke.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"Um…" Syaoran tried to start a conversation as they shuffled along the streets. Sakura had not been speaking the entire time, and all she did was to either nod or shake her head at Syaoran's questions. "So, can you tell me more about yourself?" _Wow, I'm so smart, she'll have to answer me; this isn't a 'yes' or 'no' question!_

"M-Me?" Sakura said in a squeaky voice, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so. _Oh my god, I can't believe I sound so… funny… He'll think I'm some kind of goofball…_ Sakura groaned.

"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked, concerned. "You don't sound so well…"

Sakura blushed furiously. "N-No! I'm fine."

"Oh." Syaoran replied awkwardly, and then added in a hesitant voice, "You know… You're really… pretty…"

This made Sakura's red face even redder, as her heart raced wildly. "I… Um… I-I know."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow at this, obviously amused by her reply. He surveyed Sakura's blushing face, and then gazed into her glassy emerald eyes. The moonlight cast a glow on Syaoran's face, lighting it up and making him look as handsome as ever.

_Oh no, not again…_ Sakura thought,_ stop flashing the 'Syaoran eye of hotness', I'm gonna faint!_

Slowly, Syaoran lifted a hand and placed it on the back of her head. He leaned forward and tilted his head, preparing for a kiss. Sakura's eyes fluttered close on instinct, she went weak in the knees, and her legs wobbled which nearly caused her to fall. Their lips were centimeters apart; Syaoran was about to close the gap when… …

"YEOWCH!" Syaoran yowled. He had lost his balance and tripped over a rock, plummeting headfirst on the ground. Getting on his feet again, Syaoran rubbed his sore nose with his hand, all the while grinning sheepishly at Sakura.

"Uh…" Sakura said, pointing at a house in front of her. "I've reached… See you tomorrow!" With that, she rushed into the house without waiting for a reply from Syaoran, the blush on her face never fading.

In less than a blink of an eye, Sakura was gone, leaving Syaoran in the lonely and deserted street all by himself. _SHIT! _Syaoran cursed. _I was so close…_

_**In Sakura's house… …**_

"Well well, the monster is finally back!" Touya taunted, as he heard the door clicking open. Craning his neck, he turned just in time to see a box disappear up the stairs. Touya snickered, and then added, "Now I see you've turned into a box monster."

Sakura reappeared at the bottom of the stairs, and with the loudest voice she could muster, she retorted, "For the last time, I am NOT a monster!" Then, she turned away and trudged up the stairs.

Throwing herself onto the soft, silken bed, Sakura buried her head into the covers and sighed. _What a long day…But now, is a good time for a shower!_ Sakura thought and bounced off the bed, heading into the shower.

"Mmm…" mumbled Sakura as she struggled to take her costume off. "It's kind of tight…"

**_At Meiling's… …_**

"Heh! That cherry blossom won't know what hit her," cackled Meiling.

In her fingers she twirled a tube of superglue.

.fin.

* * *

A/N: Hey, did you guys like it? Haha, we'll appreciate it very much if you leave us a review! Check out our other story too, although we are taking very long to update (yea, yea, we know we are the greatest procrastinators ever), we promise that the next chapter is in progress and we _will_ finish it! And if this ficcy is successful (read: lots of reviews), we'll do a series of humor one-shots adding to this one, featuring many different events. So if you want more, review! Although we are rather slow in updating the other story, this one will be faster; 'cause we find it easier and more fun to write a humor story… Ah, so that's all, folks! 


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